Helpless
by darkntwisted
Summary: Nick and Grissom go to a house to perform a search warrant. Things go down hill from there for Nick. Warning: Mild sexual abuse contained in this story.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI or any of its characters. I am making no money off of this story. I just like to abuse them once in a while.

This is a beta free zone. All mistakes are my own. Please be kind.

All mistakes in procedure, etc are my own as well. They were bent or broken to make the story work.

Helpless

Chapter One

"Las Vegas PD Crime Lab, CSI Grissom and Stokes. We have a warrant to search these premises."

Clara stared at the two men standing on her front step in disbelief. It was the older man who'd spoken, holding out an official looking piece of paper for her to read as well as his badge. "What is this about?"

"Please, may we come in?" the younger man asked. His dark hair and dark eyes drew her in. He was gorgeous.

"Ah, sure." Clara stepped back into the entryway to allow them access to her two story house. The wood floors creaked under the men's weight. They were closely followed by a third man, a bad clipped to his jacket pocket. The other men had their badges clipped to chains around their necks. "I don't understand why you're here."

"We have reason o believe that this is the last place that Matt Williams was seen alive," the older man stated. Clara was ushered onto the front yard while the two men searched every nook and cranny of her house. They found no sign of physical evidence of the young man.

The victim had been discovered in one of the local water bodies. During the ensuing investigation it came to light that he had delivered groceries for Clara multiple times, including the day of his disappearance. Matt's vehicle had been found two blocks over, abandoned.

"Thanks, Brass," Grissom stated as he and Nick Stokes prepared to leave the house. He was disappointed that there were no overt signs of the victim but they had gathered samples to be analysed back at Central and one more piece of the puzzle had been placed.

"If there's anything I can do to help find Matt, please ask," Clara said. She'd caught hold of the younger man's arm as he left the house. She wasn't ready for him to leave yet.

Nick stopped and glanced at his boss, Gil Grissom. He'd planned to ask the woman some questions after they'd analysed the samples but she'd offered.

"I'll meet you back at the office," Gill responded. He knew he was breaking protocol but had ten other cases waiting on his desk for him. Nick handed his boss his kit and sample bags before following the dark haired woman through the heavy wooden door into the sitting room off to the left.

"Please, have a seat," Clara instructed. "I'll make some tea."

"That 's really not necessary," Nick assured the woman. She was about his age, thirty two, and was thin but had a mousy appearance to her. The sitting room was old fashioned and slightly musty. Cautiously, the CSI sat in an armchair perpendicular to the large over stuffed couch.

"I'll only take a few minutes," Clara responded. "Please indulge me."

Happily, the woman headed to her kitchen. He was nice, she could tell. Just like young Matt had been nice. It was so sad that he couldn't come to visit anymore. With practiced motions, Clara prepared two cups of tea and carried them in to where the handsome young man waited.

"Do you like cream or sugar?" Clara asked as she handed Nick his cup.

"No thanks. Black is fine." To be nice, he took a small sip of the bitter fluid. Tea was not his ball of wax. "Now, Miss Johnston, we know that Matt Williams delivered your groceries last Thursday at 3pm."

"Yes, he brought them every week. I don't like to go out much," Clara responded. The man had a faint scent of Old Spice, just like her dad.

"What time did he leave?" Nick's mouth had suddenly gone very dry. A few more swallows of tea didn't seem to help. "May I have a glass of water?"

"Is there something wrong with the tea?" Clara asked, concerned. The young man's face had grown both white and red at the same time.

"It's fine." Nick regretted having asked, her features had crumbled at any suggestion of inadequacy.

"As to your question, Matt always stayed long enough to help unpack. I gave him a tip for the extra work. I suppose it took about fifteen minutes." Shyly Clara looked into Nick's dark eyes. Her heart melted.

"If you don't mind my asking, why do you not go out much?" Nick was starting to feel a bit light headed. Distantly he hoped he wasn't coming down with the fly that had been making its way around the office.

"My daddy's a police officer. He tells me all about the types of people that are out there. I don't need to go out unless he's with me. I work on my computer, order online or over the phone." As Clara watched the handsome officer became more and more sickly looking. Absently, Nick took another sip of the quickly cooling tea. If anything it was even more bitter than before.

"Ah, look. I'm really sorry but I think I'm going to have to continue this another time," Nick began as he struggled to his feet. Even after getting thrown out of a second story window he hadn't felt this bad.

"Are you all right?" Clara asked. She moved to check on the man but in reality she was trying to physically block his exit out of the room and the house.

"No, I don't think I am." Gently, Nick tried to move beyond the smaller woman. In her concern, she kept stepping in front of him to look at his face.

"Is there anyone I should call?" Clara asked. Sweat had broken out on Nick's forehead. Any minute now.

In the sudden onset of his symptoms, Nick had forgotten all about his cell phone. Completely uncoordinated, he fumbled at his belt for the unit. Unhooked, it tumbled out of his nerveless fingers. A moment after it hit the ground, Nick's unconscious body joined it.

"I think you should stay for a while," Clara stated. Humming to herself, she pushed against the china cabinet until it had scuttled two feet to the right. With practiced ease, she placed the fireplace poker between two of the floor boards and pried up a section of flooring to reveal a black hole. Still humming, she slipped her hands under Nick's shoulders and began dragging him toward the hole. It was hard going but she was stronger than she looked. Clara paused long enough to relieve the CSI of his gun and car keys before sending him tumbling feet first into the great beyond.

A/N: Should I continue?


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

Carefully, Clara picked up Nick's cell phone and the clip board he'd brought in with him. A quick once around the room and the floor and the china cabinet were back in the place, the rug she'd mess up moving the larger man was back in place and the tea cups were fastidiously rinsed and placed in the dish washer. Content, Clara started the machine and then headed out the front door.

The SUV was an automatic for which Clara was grateful. Clara enjoyed driving. Her daddy didn't like it when she drove. He said there were a lot of bad drivers out there.

Clara was very cautious and tentative behind the wheel which angered some of the people behind her. But, she managed to get eight blocks without incident. From her pocket Clara produced a cloth that she used to remove any finger prints that she might have left behind. Then she used packing tape to remove any hair or cloth fibers from the seat. Satisfied, Clara left the keys in the ignition, the cell phone and clip board on the seat, the gun locked up in the glove compartment and the driver's side door unlocked.

The walk home took longer than Clara wanted. The sun had begun to set, casting long shadows by the time she reached her front door. The CSI should still be drugged. She had had a lot of practice in figuring out the dosages. Happy, Clara dead bolted the front door. Then she followed the hallway to the stairs leading to the basement.

The house was old. One of the first ones built in the area. Unlike most Las Vegas homes, this one had a basement. It was intended more for storage and the usual appliances such as hot water heaters, washers, driers and the like. It was dark and dungeon. Clara never used to go down there until she found the hidden room behind the wall. Someone else had had a penchant for hurting others. The room was sound proof and virtually undetectable.

A small lever, about the size of a pebble released the mechanism. Soundlessly, the huge door swung open. On her way by, Clara switched on the single bare bulb hanging from the cell's ceiling. Inside, Nick was sprawled on the cement. In his boneless tumble from the floor above he had missed the metal framed cot situated directly below the hatch and landed hard on the unprotected concrete.

"Silly, you shouldn't have done that," Clara purred. With moderate effort, she got Nick onto the cot. Breathlessly, she straightened out his long limbs. The anticipation was nearly too much for her.

The shirt came off easily enough to reveal a well formed, smooth chest and abdomen. Tentatively, Clara ran her fingers over his warm skin. She was so intent on her prize that she didn't notice that she was no longer alone.

"Who is he?" a male voice demanded.

Guiltily, Clara jumped. She knew her father's voice so she wasn't concerned about getting caught. Daddy always helped. Silently, she handed over Nick's wallet and badge.

"Damn it, Clara!" Daddy exploded. Fear and frustration burned through him. "This time you've picked a cop! The department is never going to stop looking for him!"

"But he's so beautiful," was Clara's only defence. She could barely take her eyes off her prize. So much to explore!

"Why aren't you content with street people?" Daddy ran his hand through his hair.

"They're dirty and men. He's nice and he smells like you." Clara brushed her finger tips along Nick's strong jaw. The feel of his skin thrilled her.

"How long have you had him?" His daughter's predilections had reared their ugly head after the death of her brother. She'd worshipped him and had been miserable for a very long time. Harry couldn't stand to see his little girl unhappy.

The first one Clara had he'd brought home after accidently hitting the hobo on his way home from work. Rather than tarnish his spotless record, he'd brought the man home for his daughter to take care of. Being homeless, it hadn't really mattered if he'd lived or died. The incident had only whetted her appetite, however. This was the fourth person she'd collected herself.

"About an hour and a half." Under her fingers, Clara could feel Nick begin to stir. That shouldn't be, she'd given him enough sedative to keep him under for at least four hours.

Seeing the man shift on the cot, Harry stepped forward. The handcuffs at each corner of the cot were all ready prepared he simply had to put them on. A moment of indecision and Harry quickly put a blindfold on him. If there was any chance of not having to kill the fellow police officer, it was by making sure he couldn't identify them. It was a faint hope at best.

A quiet groan issued from Nick as he strained against the handcuffs. He wasn't completely aware yet but he knew something was not right. Slowly, his mind fought the effects of the drug and he came fully awake. "What...?"

Nick couldn't see and his hands and feet were being restrained. Fear burned through him.

"He's so gorgeous, Daddy. I want to keep him forever," Nick heard Clara purr. His stomach plunged somewhere down around his ankles.

"I'm a police officer. My friends will be looking for me. You'll never get away with this." It was a long shot, but Nick hoped fervently that he could talk some sense into Clara.

"You didn't find this room before. They won't find it next time," Clara responded.

"Terror spiked through the young criminalist's nervous system. Desperately, he fought against the handcuffs even though he could tell from their cool, smooth surface it was a lost cause.

"Please, just let me go," Nick pleaded. Not again. Not again.

"No," Clara responded simply. The room was chilly, especially with Nick's bare skin. Goose bumps rose on his flesh. A shiver that had begun deep in his soul made its way to the surface.

A heart beat later, warm hands began to run over his chest and abdomen. Revulsion boiled in Nick's mind and stomach. "Don't touch me," he growled reflexively.

"You're mind now. I can do whatever I want to you." There was an evil edge to her words that Nick hadn't thought she was capable of. How could he have so completely misread her?

This had to be all part of a really bad dream. Nick's body continued to shiver, whether from fear or cold he wasn't sure. Not being able to see unnerved him tremendously. Instinctually, he fought against Clara's groping hands. Logically he knew there was nowhere for him to go but to be touched against his will made his skin crawl. Unpleasant childhood memories tried to surface. Desperately, he squashed them. Now was not the time. No longer satisfied with his torso, Clara fumbled with the belt on his pants.

"Clara," a male voice admonished. Harry hated his daughter's need to strip her toys. She always had to see them naked, even when she was a child. Now that Clara was an adult, her intent was no longer innocent curiosity. He wasn't naive. He knew what she did to them when he wasn't around. The thought made Harry's stomach turn.

"I just want to see," Clara responded intent on her prize. Nick kept moving but that just made it more fun.

"Clara!" Harry hated to, but he used the tone of voice usually reserved for when she had done something horribly wrong.

Startled, Clara stood up and stepped away from her father and the cot.

"You're Clara's father," Nick pleaded. The hands were gone. The chill had entered his soul. He couldn't stop shaking. Even his teeth had begun to chatter. "You're a cop. You know you can't keep me here!"

"Nothing you've done so far is so bad that it can't be ignored," Nick continued. "Let me go and I'll forget everything.

Nick hoped that they believed him. This was one time he was glad his eyes were covered. They really were the window to his soul and always told when he was lying. The handcuffs were biting into his wrists and ankles and would probably be leaving deep gashes and probably scars. There was no way he could explain those away, especially around Grissom.

"Be quiet." Anger blaring, Harry picked up a piece of cloth and shoved it into the young man's mouth. "I'll be back. Treat him gently."

Harry needed to go cool down and think this one through. Grunting in frustration, he left the room, carefully closing the door behind him.

"Now, it's just you and me," Clara purred. Grinning, she advanced on the bound man. Just as she reached out to grasp that annoying belt buck, the light above her head blinked three times.

"Damn it," Clara swore. She hated to be interrupted. Looking down at the still struggling Nick, she patted his groin area through the fabric of his jeans. "Don't go anywhere."

CSICSI

"Mr. Grissom, what are you doing here?" Clara smiled shyly. The older CSI made her nervous.

"I was wondering if Nick Stokes was still here." It had been two hours since the junior CSI had stayed behind. There had been no contact since then and he wasn't answering his cell phone. Nick's SUV was not where it had been when Gil left but he had to ask anyway.

"He asked me some questions about that unfortunate young man and then he said he wasn't feeling very well. He said he would have to continue with his questions later." Clara couldn't lie convincingly so she chose not to.

"Did you see him leave?" Something was very wrong here.

"No. I had to clean up the cups after our tea," Clara stated.

"May I see those cups?" Grissom could feel Brass breathing down the back of his neck.

"Certainly." Still smiling, Clara took a step back from her front door to allow the two men entry to her home. Perfectly calm, she led the two men down the main hallway past the sitting room and to the kitchen. "They're in there."

Contentedly, Clara watched as the CSI agent went through her dish washer. The cycles were complete. There would be no residue of the drug she'd used. Humming quietly, she nodded agreement when Grissom asked if he could take the two cups with him. On his way back to the front door, he paused in the door way leading to the sitting room. Everything appeared to be in place. In fact, it was exactly the same as when he and Nick had processed the house.

"Thank you for your cooperation," Grissom said as he left the house.

"I hope he's all right." Clara stood in the door and waved as the two men drove away.

A/N: Thank you very much for the reviews! I hope you enjoyed the new chapter too.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Your friends were here," Clara said sweetly. Humming, she pulled the blindfold off. She enjoyed looking into his deep brown eyes too much to leave them covered. The terror and despair were disappointing but eventually he'd learn to love her, of that she was sure.

The criminalist mumbled something into the gag. Panic burned through his entire system, trying to take away any ability to think logically and possibly get him out of this. The cloth of the gag threatened to choke him. Closing his eyes to block out his assailant, Nick concentrated on breathing out of his nose. He could hear the woman prattling on to herself but he blocked that out too in his attempt to keep from suffocating.

"Mr. Grissom is not very nice. He makes me nervous," Clara said. She looked down on her future husband's face. He truly was beautiful with his dark hair and eyes. His broad forehead and square jaw gave him a chiselled appearance. He had wide shoulders, a well formed chest and stomach but narrow hips . His legs in his black jeans appeared to almost be disproportionate to the rest of his body. Curious, Clara turned her attention to that pesky belt again.

Fingers began to grope at Nick anew. Instinct screamed that he should try to get away. Rational thought, however, told him to ignore it, his wrists and ankles burned badly enough all ready. They were sticky with his own blood from the open wounds he'd all ready created.

"Mmmm," Clara murmured. The belt had finally come undone. Grinning happily, she grasped the zipper and pulled it down. Underneath, she could see the blue material of Nick's boxer shorts. The button at the waist band popped off as Clara delved into the treasures beyond.

CSICSI

Long minutes dragged by for Nick as he tried desperately to ignore what the woman was doing. Chemical formulas, lab procedures, criminal codes floated through his conscious mind to distract him. Clara's gingers probed and prodded, caressed and bruised. One particularly brutal probe startled the young criminalist, causing him to gasp. The gag moved further into his mouth. Gagging, he began to choke.

"Oh dear," Clara paused in her ministrations as Nick's chest heaved and his body shook. She caught hold of the man's chin and casually pulled the gag out. Great gasps of air burned down Nick's throat. "Feel any better?"

It took several moments before Nick could recover enough to respond. "Water?" Fibers abraded the delicate lining of his throat and were threatening to make their way into his bronchial passages.

"Certainly." Clara moved over to the corner of the cell where a cooler sat. She opened it and withdrew a bottled water. Unsealing it, she slipped a hand under Nick's head to brace it and then put the bottle to his lips. Drinking greedily, he finished the entire bottle in a few seconds. "Better?"

"Thank you," Nick managed. His throat felt as raw as his ankles and wrists. Suddenly exhausted despite the fear, pain and cold, Nick closed his eyes and gave into oblivion.

CSICSI

It was so much easier when he didn't struggle. Clara pulled Nick's pants down over his hips. She had to pause long enough to unshackle Nick's ankles to pull the black slacks completely off his legs. Her father had all ready taken off his boots to put the shackles on in the first place all she had to do was slip off his socks. The tops of his socks were sticky with blood. The skin on his ankles was torn and deeply cut. Goose bumps stood out as well.

Briefly, Clara debated on what she should do. Nick's legs were thin but still well muscles. She desperately wanted to remove his underwear but a voice in her head wouldn't let her. Sighing in disgust, she replaced the handcuffs, just in case Nick woke up. Then she left the room.

CSICSI

The first think Nick was aware of as he came around was that he'd lost his pants and shoes. The rough blanket covering the mattress chaffed against his skin. The next thing he noticed was that he still had his boxers on. Relief flooded through his mind and body. Slowly, Nick opened his eyes and looked down his body. A blanket was the only thing he could see. That explained why his teeth weren't chattering anymore.

"Would you like more water?" Despite himself, Nick jumped. He hadn't noticed Clara sitting by the door.

As much as he wanted some, Nick really didn't want to deal with the ensuing problem of drinking large quantities of fluid. Mutely, he shook his head no.

"Comfortable?"

Again, a head shake no.

"Hungry?"

Another 'no'. A loud rumble from his stomach said otherwise.

The door opened behind Clara and a man entered that Nick assumed was her father.

"What are you doing?" the father demanded.

"I'm just watching him sleep," Clara responded. "We should undo the handcuffs, he's got cuts. They might get infected."

"You took the blindfold off," Harry stated. The man was staring at him, his dark eyes accusatory. Guilt reared its ugly head. Swallowing bile, Harry pulled the blanket up over Nick's feet to reveal the mangled mess beneath.

"I like his eyes."

"Go get..." Harry paused as the light flickered three times. "Damn it!"

Before he left, Harry forced the gag back into Nick's mouth. It was unnecessary but it made him feel better, more secure.

CSICSI

"Mr. Grissom, what can we do for you?" Harry asked. The CSI was standing on the door step again with Brass and a dark skinned man. Clara stood behind Harry.

"I have a warrant to search these premises."

"You all ready searched for the young boy," Clara stated.

"This is to search for Nick Stokes, CSI."

"Knock yourselves out." Harry took Clara's hand and led her out to his car where they waited.

CSICSI

The CSIs repeated the entire procedure. Grissom took the basement. He checked every inch of the area, checked each and every light switch and examined every wall. Frustrated, feeling like he was letting Nick down, he rested his hand on the rock wall. Grissom was missing something, he was sure of it. Hopefully his counterpart was having more luck. Wearily, he headed up the stairs.

CSICSI

"You still haven't found your associate?" Harry asked as the three men left his daughter's house. His heart was beating crazily but from the outside he looked calm and collected. "Clara told me about your two previous visits."

"No," was all the Grissom would say. Patrol units had found Nick's SUV an hour ago. Katherine was processing it as they spoke. The head CSI didn't really expect that she would find anything but there was always a chance.

"Well, anything we can do to help," Harry offered.

"Thanks," Warwick responded. With a final glance at the house, the three men shouldered their bags and headed towards Brass's vehicle.

"Can I sleep with him?" Clara asked as soon as the men were gone.

"No," Harry growled. He continued two watch until the vehicle had disappeared down the street. "We've got to clean this up."

"They didn't find anything and they never will." Smiling, Clara entered the house.

A/N: Again, thanks for the support. I hope the new chapter was to your liking!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad you're enjoying the story. I know I had fun when I wrote it three or four years ago!

Anyway, I'm not sure if this next chapter is medically correct. The honest truth is that I don't really care if it is, it was an idea that presented itself and I went with it. So, we'll just say that in my version of the world this works. ;)

Chapter Four

"Did you miss me?" Clara asked as she stepped into the cell.

Anger boiling beneath the surface, Nick simply glared at the woman. Pleading with her and reasoning with her were pointless, besides the bag was still crammed into his mouth. The wounds from the handcuffs were itchy and starting to feel hot. Distantly, Nick wondered how many other man had been restrained with them and if they'd been cleaned in between. Somehow he doubted it.

"You look a bit pale. Are you all right?" Clara giggled. She turned from Nick and began rummaging in a series of shelves along the far wall of the cell. After a few seconds, she turned back toward him, what looked like a Depends in her hand.

"You haven't done that yet?" Harry asked as he entered the cell.

"I can't decide which to use," Clara replied. Nick didn't like the gleam in her eyes.

"Whichever works best." Harry didn't want to have anything to do with this.

"I think I'll use both." Clara turned back to the shelves. It was obvious that she'd done this before or at least dreamed of doing it. She was too well stocked.

Giggling, Clara turned towards Nick, one hand behind her back. "This is going to be fun."

The blanket was pulled off of Nick and tossed to the floor. Terrified, yet unable to turn away, Nick watched as Clara put something on the ground below his field of vision. When her hand came back up a knife was clutched in it.

"I've changed my mind. I don't want to leave your boxers on. They'll get in the way." Expertly, Clara ran the knife up one leg and then the other, slicing the thin fabric effortlessly. In seconds, she pulled the shredded material out from under Nick.

"Hmmm. Better than I imagined," Clara purred. Gently, she touched Nick's genitalia. No longer able to take it anymore, Nick pulled away from her cold fingers, grunting into the gag.

"Clara, finish up," Harry growled.

'You're no fun." Pouting, Clara forced Nick to raise himself off the mattress so she could slide the Depends under his buttocks.

Satisfied, Clara pushed Nick back down on the mattress. Reaching beside her, she pulled up a catheter and urine bag.

"It's for your own good." Clara stuck the end of the catheter into a tube of lubricant and then tried to each hold of Nick's penis. Desperately, Nick tried to get away from her. He didn't plan on being here long enough for any of these things to become a consideration. "Hold still."

Giving in, Harry moved forward and caught hold of Nick's hips. Clara scooted around him and proceeded.

White hot pain flashed along stressed nerve endings. Nick screamed shamelessly into the gag as the catheter proceeded on its journey into his bladder. The catheter had to be too large a bore. He knew that it wasn't supposed to hurt this much. Gasping against the gag, Nick couldn't draw enough air. His vision began to go red around the edges. Then darkness descended.

"Are you sure you used the right one?" Harry asked. He'd never seen that kind of reaction before. Something had to be wrong.

"I only had one left," Clara responded innocently. When urine began to run into the bag, it had a red tinge to it.

"I don't think that's right." Harry was getting a worse and worse feeling about all of this. He could almost feel life as they knew it ending with each ragged breath the CSI took. Exasperated, he pulled the bag out. Nick's breathing improved instantly.

"It'll clear up." Clara hung the bag on the other side of the cot between it and the wall.

'I hope you're right. I'm going home." Despondent, Harry left his daughter to her vices, shut the cell behind him and headed to his car.

CSICSI

Humming to herself, Clara carefully cleaned the wounds on Nick's extremities and then the blood on the tip of his penis before closing the Depends. Goose bumps had risen upon his skin again and his teeth were chattering. Clara pulled the blanket out of the corner and tossed it over Nick's naked body.

Minutes passed but Nick's condition improved only marginally. None of the others had fought so long or so hard, none of them had been such a problem. There were no more blankets in the cell. Not wanting Nick to get any sicker, Clara left the cell and went upstairs. In the hall closet on the second floor there were several blankets. She grabbed two of them and headed back downstairs.

Nick was still unconscious when she got back. Clara unfolded the two blankets and added them to the bed. All she could do was wait. As she took up a position on the stool by the door, Clara checked her watch. It was 10:30 pm.

CSICSI

The pain still burned but not as strongly. Barely conscious, Nick moaned as it registered. Reluctantly, Nick came fully awake. Blinking against the light, Nick stifled another moan.

"Good morning," Clara said cheerfully. "Would you like some breakfast?"

The very thought started Nick's stomach growling but he shook his head 'no'. After the tea, he didn't trust anything these people had to offer. His body was beginning to protest having remained horizontal for so long. In an attempt to relieve some of the muscle cramps, Nick shifted a bit. Burning pain flashed the entire length of the catheter. His body stiffened as he rode the waves of pain.

"I guess it really is too big," Clara said, mostly to herself after witnessing Nick's reaction. "Well, I can't take it out. I have nothing to replace it with."

"Would you like some water?" Reluctantly, Nick nodded his head once he'd recovered enough to respond.

Humming, Clara went over to the cooler and retrieved a bottle. It was much harder to drink it this time because Nick couldn't stand to have any moment in the muscles around the catheter. The resulting blinding pain too his breath away every time. None the less, the bottle was soon empty and Nick's mouth wasn't quite so dry.

Clara put the empty bottle with the others, inside a garbage can by the cooler and then moved as if to replace the gag.

"Please, don't" Nick managed. He despised himself from begging but the thought of the gag welding itself to the lining of his mouth again brought tears to his eyes.

"Oh," Clara responded upon seeing the tears shimmering on Nick's dark eye lashes. "Don't dry. I won't put it back."

The sight of such a strong man crying unnerved Clara, in all her live, she'd never seen her dad cry, even when her mom and brother died. She firmly believed the adage that real men didn't cry. The fact that Nick was made her doubt her decision to collect him in the first place.

Distraught, Clara threw the gag onto the floor and quickly left the cell.

Several deep breaths and Nick got a hold of himself. He hated that he sometimes cried when under great stress, like having a gun pointed at him, but it was something he had no control over. How quickly it got rid of his captor was something to keep in mind though.

CSICSI

"How is he?" Harry asked. He'd returned to his daughter's house before he had to go in to work. The stark terror on Clara's face caused him to assume the worst. His stomach clenched and sank several feet.

"He's..." Clara could barely bring herself to say it. "He's...crying."

"Why?" Immediately, Harry assumed that she'd done something especially terrible to make a police officer break down. But then, CSI were not REAL police officers after all.

"The catheter is too big and I was going to put the gag back in," Clara explained.

"Oh." Definitely not as awful as Harry had anticipated. He paused to think. "We should take the catheter out."

"I don't want to have to clean up after him," Clara pouted.

"You wanted him, you'll have to take care of him properly to keep him alive." Harry knew how absurd that sounded. He could be talking about a puppy, not a human being.

A sparkle came to Clara's eyes. "I would have to clean him more often," she said, smiling.

A chill passed through Harry. What had he done so horribly wrong as a father to create such a child?" "I'll get a smaller catheter."

Clara's face fell. That was not the answer she'd been hoping for.

"I'll bring it tonight after my shift. In the meantime, get him to eat something and keep him as comfortable as possible."

"All right." Clara had clasped her hands behind her back, stared at the floor and just barely managed to keep from scuffing her toe on the floor.

Exasperated, Harry headed to the door to the sanity of the streets.

Sleep had stolen over Nick without him being aware that he'd given in. That changed in an instant. Blinding, stabbing pain ripped through his groin. Before he could stop it, Nick cried out and tried to shift away. More pain blossomed and expanded.

Groaning loudly, Nick opened his eyes and looked down his body to find Clara. She had pulled the blankets off and removed the Depends. Grinning blissfully, she had hold of his penis and was contentedly stroking it. Burning embers flamed to acetylene torches with each caress, making it very difficult for him to breathe.

Desperately, Nick tried to form the words to plead with Clara to stop but there was no air in his lungs to help articulate them. His ears buzzing, Nick fought the handcuffs in a futile attempt to reach her hands. As time passed and the pain continued to compound on itself, Nick's vision turned red and the buzzing became a roar. Just as darkness threatened to take over, Clara let go. The pain ebbed almost instantly but it did not go away entirely. However, Nick was able to take several great lungful of air. The darkness retreated.

"Did that hurt?" Clara asked, her face completely innocent.

"Go to hell," Nick breathed. The light headedness and the roaring were abating with each minute that passed. Spasms of pain still travelled the length of the catheter but he could handle it.

"Don't swear!" Angrily, Clara swatted Nick in the groin. The new pain didn't get a chance to register before Nick's mind shut itself off as a form of self preservation.

"I don't like it when you swear!" Clara shrieked. Her fist came down on Nick's genitals, hard. A drop of blood oozed from the tip of his penis around the plastic tubing as the assault ripped delicate flesh.

"Look what you made me do," Clara continued, almost beside herself. "Now I'm going to have to wash your mouth out with soap!"

Her face red with anger, Clara left the cell. A few minutes later she returned with a basing of steaming water, a bar of soap, a face cloth, towel and a stiff bristled nail brush. Oblivious to the scalding water, Clara thrust the face cloth and soap into it and rubbed them together until she had a good lather.

Roughly, Clara caught hold of Nick's member and swiped at the blood. More quickly replaced it. In some part of her rational mind, she realized that she'd really damaged the man. Gently, she released Nick and turned her attention to the rest of his body. Her final act was to stick the cloth in the unconscious man's mouth while it was full of soap. Small bubbles expanded and contracted with each breath.

The light flickered three times.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

"Mr. Grissom," Clara said upon opening her front door. "It's awfully early, what can I do for you?"

"We have another search warrant."

"Oh, please. This is really becoming tedious." Clara couldn't quite keep the exasperation out of her voice. Her innocent facade cracked slightly.

"Nick Stokes is still missing. This is the last place I saw him." No longer worrying about being rude, Grissom and Warrick stepped into the house without waiting to be invited.

"I'll start upstairs," Warrick stated as he headed up the stairs.

"I'm starting in the basement. Brass, could you escort her outside?"

"Certainly." Brass stepped aside and waited for Clara to accompany him to his vehicle.

In the basement, Grissom turned on every light switch he could find. Methodically, he used a cloth to unscrew each light bulb just enough to cause it to go black. He'd reached the bulb hanging in front of Nick's cell when he was joined by Warrick, his flashlight leading the way.

"Two blankets are missing from the closet as well as a basin, face cloth, towel and bar of soap. I haven't found them anywhere in the house," the younger man informed his boss.

"Nick's here. I know it." As he spoke, Gil unscrewed the light bulb. In the ensuing darkness a thin stream of light issued from the edges of the wall. When the lights had been on, it had been impossible to see. Even in the dark it was a line barely a quarter of a millimetre thick. Grissom and Warrick exchanged looks before they began running their hands over the wall in hopes of finding the release.

"You'll never find it." Harry had come over after being unable to concentrate at work. It felt like providence that the CSI's were there when he arrived. Both men jumped.

"We know there's a room beyond this wall." Grissom barely kept control of the urge to throttle the man.

"You're right," Harry agreed. He stepped by the two men to the wall beyond where they'd been searching. "But you still won't get in."

Relief flooded through his mind and body as Harry pressed the release. It was finally over.

Grissom was the first one through the door. What he found angered him almost beyond reason.

Nick lay on the cot, naked and uncovered. His face was a ghostly white and covered in a thin sheen of sweat. Blood was clotted and drying on the wounds on his wrists and ankles. Blood was also slowly seeping out around the catheter and collecting on his belly.

"Get the paramedics in here," Grissom ordered Warrick. He pulled the gag out of Nick's mouth.

Anxious about his friend's well being, the younger CSI quickly left the basement.

"I`m sorry," was all Harry could come up with.

Disgusted, Grissom knelt down beside Nick. Gently, he laid his hand on the younger man's closest shoulder. The dark eyes fluttered. A loud grunt escaped from his lips as the pain registered. "Nick?" Gil asked tentatively.

"Gris?" Nick's voice was barely above a whisper. Moans and groans continued to come out with each breath. Shame burned in his belly.

"You're okay, Nick. We found you."

Nodding slightly, Nick gave into the pain and sank back into darkness. He was finally safe.

CSICSI

"How is he?" All the CSI's from third shift were gathered in the hospital waiting room. Katherine had been the last one to get there.

"He'll heal," Grissom responded non-commitedly. He didn't want to go into the extent of Nick's wounds. The young man had all ready expressed enough shame without the entire truth coming out.

"He was there the whole time?" Katherine asked.

"Yeah," Warrick answered. He and his boss had their own dose of shame as far as that was concerned. "Hidden room in the basement. Apparently she dumped Nick down a hole from the main floor."

"Can we see him?" Greg asked.

"He's in recovery and under some pretty strong pain killers. He probably won't be coherent until later today," Grissom told his subordinates. "Go home and get some sleep. We all have to work tonight."

"You're sure he's okay?" Greg asked. He was reluctant to leave until he'd seen Nick for himself.

"Yeah." Silently, the CSI's shuffled out of the room. All except Grissom. He had no intention of leaving the young criminalist now.

CSICSI

"How are you feeling?"

"Sore." Nick flashed a crooked grin from his hospital bed. The nurses had him propped up on his right side. Bed sores had begun to develop on his back. Despite his best efforts, Nick's face turned red.

"I'm really sorry. I completely misjudged the situation," Nick said.

"We both did," Grissom assured him, "She didn't fit any profile and the evidence was hidden." What they had found in the secret room had been enough to connect Clara to all four disappearances and a few others they hadn't known about.

Nick was quiet for a few minutes, his brown eyes trouble as he picked at the hospital blanket.

"What did you tell the others?" The doctors had done wonders in relieving the pain from the damage done with the oversized catheter. But it was still going to take Nick a while to heal completely.

"No more than they needed to know."

"Will I have to testify in open court?" Nick tried to swallow a lump that had developed in his throat, to no avail. He couldn't quite bring himself to look his boss in the eye so he kept playing in the blanket.

"No. Clara's father has confessed to everything. She's been admitted for psychiatric evaluation pending sentencing. No one but myself, the DA and the Nelson's lawyers know the extent of your injuries. The doctor says that you should heal just fine.

"Thanks. Thanks for everything." Tears threatened to flow. Nick closed his eyes against them.

"I'll never leave you like that again," Grissom said quietly. He pulled a chair over, sat down and placed his hand on Nick's shoulder. He remained in that position as Nick's shoulder began to shake with choked sobs. He stayed there until Nick's tears dried and he fell sound asleep.

Finally, Grissom sat back in his chair and prepared to watch over the younger man until he could look after himself once again.

THE END

A/N: Thanks for your support! I thought about making this story longer but this seemed like a good place to end it. I don't want to keep torturing poor Nick after all. Maybe. Well, it did seem like a good place to end it at the time. ;)


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